Leylah Annie Fernandez kept her winning streak at Roland Garros alive Thursday as she outlasted Polona Hercog of Slovenia 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 in the second round of the French Open tennis championships.The 18-year-old from Laval has won eight consecutive matches in Paris going back to her victory in the French Open junior event last year. She faces a tough match in the third round Saturday when she plays seventh-seeded Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic.
While Fernandez joined Westmount’s Eugenie Bouchard in the third round, there are no Canadians remaining in the men’s draw after ninth-seeded Denis Shapovalov of Richmond Hill, Ont., was upset by Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baena 7-5, 6-7(5), 6-3, 3-6, 8-6 in a match that lasted a shade over five hours.
The 5-foot-4 Fernandez gave away eight inches and 11 years of experience, but she proved steadier in the deciding set as Hercog’s serve failed her.
Fernandez opened the third set with a service break when Hercog double-faulted to end a game that ran more than 13 minutes. The Slovenian needed only three minutes to break back, but that was the last game she won.
Fernandez was her own worst enemy in the second set when she was broken at 3-3. She served four double faults in the game and was broken again in her next service game to give the set to Hercog.
It was Fernandez’s fifth win over a top-50 opponent this year and she boosted her WTA ranking to a career-high No. 86.
Shapovalov had to battle from behind for most of the match, but he served for the match at 5-4 in the fifth set and again at 6-5, but was unable to hold his serve.
It was first five-set win of his career for the 27-year-old Carballes Baena and the first time he has reached the third round of a Grand Slam.
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